Your metal should feel and look smooth. However, if you would like to have a smoother finish, you can also consider using a ball of steel wool to give it a unique, beautiful finish. Simply rub it on your metal in circles until the metal looks polished. If you want to do this manually, the process is similar but much more extensive. Just like you would do with an orbital sander, start with the coarse sandpaper — grit sandpaper will do. The best way to sand is along the grain of your metal if any is present else you can always do it in circular motions.
When you have removed much of the unwanted material, switch to grit sandpaper to finish off the sanding process. Use pieces of either sandpaper to remove pockets of the material that might have been left in the tight spaces. Finally, you can finish off with steel wool if you want a smoother finish.
Your sandpaper will determine how efficient you will be at your work. Different types of sandpaper also come with varying levels of coarseness. High carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and cast iron all require different types of sanding belts or orbit sander pads, and some machinists also want a belt sander they can use with wood for glassmaking, carpentry, cabinetry, or woodworking as well as metalworking.
These options are generally important to consider based on the type of finishing work you are doing and what kind of metalworking you primarily do in your home or professional machine shop. Belt sanders are generally best for polishing and finishing straight edges and corners, or taking metal burrs or chips off of tool blades.
They allow for superior angle control to maintain the shape of the cutting edge while providing it with a smooth uniform surface. You also need to consider how wide and how long you want the belt to be, as longer and wider belts stay cooler during operation, but they tend to be more expensive, and often you only really need a smaller 2-inch belt for finishing work. The prevailing preference for most metalworkers is that grit sandpaper is the way to go in terms of overall utility in metalworking, but opinions vary widely when it comes what kind of material is best for the composition of the abrasive.
The basic reddish-brown aluminum oxide is the vanilla standard sandpaper, but it does not tend to last very long for sand certain materials like steel that has a higher hardness rating. It also generates heat very quickly, which means it will need to be allowed to cooled or have coolant sprayed on it more frequently.
Silicon oxide makes a good alternative for working with aluminum, but is similarly vulnerable to overheating and may require some lubrication with water or other a cooling agent to keep it from literally burning up on you. Many metalworkers swear by using cubic zirconia industrial diamond sand paper and orbit pads though, as these generate the least heat and require little to no lubrication.
Due to the hardness of CZ paper, it also lasts much longer than other types of belts or orbital sanding pads. You may have to invest a little more up front, but in the long run the extended lifespan and cooler operating temperature make it a worthwhile investment.
Higher-end metal sanders may require more voltage and current than your typical household electrical system, especially if you need a sander that can handle higher RPMs for fine detail finishes. Make sure before you purchase a metal sander that you know if it requires a volt household outlet or the beefier volt system for major appliances like ovens, laundry dryers, etc.
You also need to check to see if the current is 2-phase or 3-phase as well, since some machines require one or the other. This may seem like rather obvious consideration, but it really is very important. Make certain that you have sufficient space on your workbench or in your workshop if you get a bigger free-standing model. I believe there is a handyman in all of us as long as you have the right tools. Here is the progression from raw material to firescale and final polish.
It adds an antiqued look to a finished piece of silver jewelry as well as other metals and can be used instead of liver of sulfur or other oxidizing methods. Just skip the sandpaper and use the metal and Pro Polish pads to soften the look of the firescale. You must be logged in to post a comment. Stay up to date with the latest content, educational resources, promotions and special news from our partners.
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